Switch.



H. A. STEEN SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.23.1912.

Patented May 1, 19 17.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

WAX/mom BMW/u 29% a. z w Q -E W 63% 64M H. A. STEEN.

SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.23, 1912.

Patented May 1, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 exact specification.

This invention relates to switches, and" STATES PATENT OFFICE;

HALFDAN A. smart, or nouwoon, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY nnsnn assieunnu'rs; 'ro

ALnIs-cmmrnns MANUFACTURING conrm, A CORPORATION or DELAWARE.

SWITCH.

' Specification ot-Letters Patent.

Patented May. 1, 1917.

application filed March as, 1912. Serial messme.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, HALFDAN STEEN, a subject of the King of Norway, residing at Norwood, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Switches, of which the following is a full, clear, and

particularly tooil switches. 1

In the operation of textile mills and small works, where motors, especially alternating current motors, are used in large quantities, it is necessary to provide especially safe switches for starting and stopping such motors. -It is highly desirable that such switches be constructed to prevent any danger of the materia'lof such textile and similar plants being ignited either by arcing at the contact terminals when the switch is open or closed. It is further desirable'that such switches be constructed in a manner to render the inspection, cleaning, and, repairing of such switches easy and with the expenditure of a minimum amountof time and expense, without danger to .the operator or person handling the switch, of injury by live parts. It is furthermore desirable to completely inclose such switches within a tank or casing of minimum size which is preferably "filled with an insulating fluid, such as oil.-

It is therefore the object of my invention to provide a simple, inexpensive, and compact switch having all of the. above mentioned desirable features and being adapted to meet all of the requirements of successful commercial operation.

The various novel features of my invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and will be particularly set forth i the appended claims.

The invention is illustrated on the accomanying sheets of drawings, in which Fig ure 1 is a side elevation of my switch with one side of the tank broken away for the The'switch includes atank 10 adapted to contain an insulating liquid, such as oil. To make the tank as small as possible it is shaped to iorm brackets 11 and a rounded bottom portion 12,-a construction of the tank or receptacle which provides a lower portion of smaller horizontal cross-sectional area than the upper portion, and generally of a desired minimum size, this lower portion below the brackets 11 being intended for the reception of those parts of the switch mechanism that are active in completing and rupturing the circuit in the normal operation of the apparatus. The bracket and bottom portions of the tank are lined with insulating material 13. Mounted on the brackets 11 over insulating material 13 are insulatfingers 17 which extend over the sides-of the insulating supporting blocks 14 and project downwardly. The casing is also provided with a cut-away portion 18 for the reception of a flange bearing member 18 formed integrlallily with the removable cover 19 of the ta The cover 19 forms the main support for all of the operating parts of theswitch and by removing the cover from the tank all of said switch operating parts are removed as a unit at the same time, maintaining the same relative positions they occupied while in the tank. Extending from the cover 19 are two rods 20 each of which supports a plate 21 having openings or bearing pop tions 22 for the reception of a shaft 23 w ich is adapted to rotate in said plates 21. Mounted upon the shaft 23 is a drum 24 having sets of contacts 25, 26, and 27. The rods- 20 also pass through an insulating'support 28 which is interposed between the plates '21 and cover 19; Secured to the insulating support 28 are yieldable intermediate contact fingers 29 having looped portions 30 adapted to engage the stationary contact fingers 17 and end portions 31 adapted to be engaged by the drum contact segments 25, 2'6, and 27. Secured in the drum 24 near its periphery is a pin 32 to which is pivotally connected a link 33, which in turn is pivotally connected to another link 34 secured to and mounted on a shaft 35 which is adapted to be rotated in the bearing 18. Secured to the shaft 35 5 is a handle 36 which is adapted to or which may be connected to a member adapted to operate said shaft and the connecting links to rotate the switch drum for making and breaking an electric circuit. It is to be noted that the structure of the receptacle or casing is such as not only permits maintaining the active switch parts immersed in insulating fluid in the lower part of the receptacle, but also permits the insulating fluid to be maintained at a level considerably above the bracket or ledge 11, vto the end that, if desired, all current carrying portions of the switch mechanism and the line terminal contacts may be immersed during the normal operation of the apparatus.

The switch may be used in single or multiphase circuits, and may be used either asa reversing or non-reversing switch. It is to be noted that the cover supports the rods 20, the insulating contact supporting member 28, and the drum mechanism, and supports through the bearing member 18, the actuating shaft and connecting links for transmitting motion to the switch operating drum 8! 2 1. In other-words, all of the parts of the switch with the exception of the stationary terminals, which are'secured in the stationary tank, are supported by and removable with the cover as a unit from the tank. A modification of my invention is illustrated in Fig.3 in which all of the parts are the same as disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2, with the exception that bolts 37, which extend from and are secured to the removable cover 19, are substituted for the rods 20 and drum supporting plates 21. These rods 37 pass through the contact finger support 39 and are provided at their ends with looped portions 40 which are adapted to receive the contact drum shaft 41. In this case the bolts or rods 37 form not only a rigid connection from the cover 19 to the contact finger support 39 and the means for supporting the bearing plates for the drum shaft, but form the bearings for the drum shaft. The su port 39 with its contact fingers 29 ma e adjusted lengthwise of the rods 40 by ad usting'nuts 38 on said rods. As shown in Ijig. 3, all of the operating parts of the switch are removed. With all of the operating parts removed from the tank, all of the parts can be inspected and repaired if necessary with ease and with the expenditure of minimum time at minimum cost. At the samev time all of theparts removed from the tank are dead, rendering the handling of said switch parts safe. After the removable switch parts have been inspected and it is desired to replace said parts in the tank, the cover is lowered and the looped portions of that proper actuation of the switch will procontinued rotation in the same direction,

while contacts 25 engage one set of contacts 31,-the other set of contacts 31 will successively break circuit and make engagement with the other one of the sets of contacts 26 and 27. The drum contacts may be arranged in any suitable manner so as to rovide, in one of the twooperative positions, for a reversal of current in the translating device, such as a motor or motors, connected to terminals 15. It-will be obvious, then,

9. vide for operation in one direction or the other of a motor or other translating device. There may be various modifications and arrangements other than those herein shown and described, and I intend to cover all such modifications and arrangements which do not involve a departure from the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim as new is:

1. In combination, a receptacle provide with a cover, stationary contacts mounted in said receptacle, switch mechanism removable as a unit from said receptacle, said switch mechanism including a drum having contacts and operating means therefor and intermediate contacts engageable by said drum contacts and said stationary contacts, andmeans for supporting said drum and said intermediate contacts, said drum operating means being supported independently of said drum supporting means.

2. In combination, a receptacle adapted to contain insulating fluid and provided with a cover, said receptacle having its lower portion' of smaller horizontal cross-sectional area than its upper portion, stationary terminal contacts mounted in said receptacle in -the portion of greater cross-sectional area,

and switch mechanism including fixed contacts, movable contacts engageable with a portion of said fixed contacts, and supportmg means for said contacts, a portion of said fixed contacts being engageable with said stationary terminal contacts, and said switch mechanism being suspended from said cover with said movable contacts and the portion of said fixed contacts engageable thereby occupyin the portion of said' receptacle of reduce cross-sectional area when 130 in operative'position therein and being removable as a unit with said cover on removal thereof from said receptacle.

3. In combination, a tank adapted to contain insulating fluid, stationary terminal contacts disposed within said tank, a removable cover for said tank having a depending bearing portion, switch mechanism comprising fixed and movable contacts and a sup- 10 port therefor suspended from said cover and removable from saidreceptacle with said cover, said fixed contacts being operatively engageable with said terminal contacts and engageable by said movable contacts, and

means mounted in and supported by the bearing portion of said cover for actuating the movable element of said switch, said actuating means comprising an operating element extending through a side wall of said receptacle when said switch mechanism is in operative position therein.

4. In a switch, the combination of a tank, stationary contacts therein, a removable cover for said tank, a drum switch, rods suspended from said cover and being provided with loops to form bearings for said drum switch, and contact fingers supported through said rods and being adapted to engage said stationary contacts and drum switch, said cover, rods, drum switch, and

contact fingers being removable as a unit from said tank.

5. In a switch, the combination of a tank containing insulating fluid, stationary contacts supported in the sides of said tank, a removable cover for said tank, 'a switch drum, rods-suspended from said removable cover and being provided with loops to form bearings for said switch drum, a contact fin- 40 ger support mounted on said rods, flexible intermediate contacts mounted on said contact finger support, said intermediate contacts being adapted to engage saidstationary contacts and said drum switch, and

means for actuating said drum switch, said cover, rods, drum switch, intermediatecontact fingers, and actuating means being removable as a unit from said tank.

6. In a switch, the combination of a tank containing insulating fluid, stationary contacts therein, a removable cover for said contact finger support, intermediate contact fingers, and drum switch being removable as a unit from said tank.

7. In a switch, the combination of a tank containing insulating fluid, stationary contacts therein, a cover having a bearing portion and being removable from said tank, a drum switch, means suspended from said cover in which said drum switch is journaled, contact fingers supported through said means and adapted to engage said stationary contacts and said drumswitch, and means mounted-in and supported by the bearing nal contacts in said receptacle, means for supporting said line terminal contacts in operative position, switch mechanism comprising fixed and movable contacts and a support therefor removable from said receptacle as a unit, said fixed contacts comprising portions operatively engageable by said movable contacts and portions conductively connected with said first portions and engageable with said terminal contacts, said supporting means for said terminal contacts and the majorportion of the part of said terminal contacts engageable with portions of said fixed contacts being disposed in the portion of said receptacle of greater cross-sectional area, and said receptacle being capable of maintaining the level of the insulating fluid at a point which insures immersion in such fluid of the cooperatively engageable portions associated with said fixed contacts and said terminal contacts respectively.

9. In combination, a receptacle adapted to contain insulating fluid and having its lower portion of smaller horizontal crosssectional area than its upper portion, the wall of said receptacle forming a ledge or bracket between said portions of difierent cross-sectional area, a line terminal contact disposed in the portion of said receptacle of greater cross-sectional area and supported in operative position through said bracket, switch mechanism comprising fixed and movable contacts and a support therefor removable from said receptacle as a unit, said fixed contact comprising a portion engageable by said movable contact, and means operative to conductively connect said line terminal contact with the portion of said fixed contact-with which said movable contact is engageable when said switch mechanism is .in operative position in said receptacle, the

10. In combination, a receptacle adapted to contain insulating fluid and having-its lower portion of smaller horizontal crosssectional area than its upper portion, the wall of said receptacle forming a ledge 01' bracket between said portions of different cross-sectional area, line terminal contacts having their major portion disposed in operative position in the portion of said receptacle of greater cross-sectional area and supported on and insulated from said bracket portion, switch mechanism comprising cooperative relatively movable contact elements removable from said receptacle as a unit, and means operative to con'ductively connect said line terminal contacts with certain of said contact elements when said switch mechanism is in operative pos 1t1on in said receptacle, said cooperative relatlvely movable contact elements of said switch.

mechanism being disposed in the portion of .said receptacle of reduced cross-sectional area when said switch mechanism is in operative position in said receptacle, and said receptacle being capable of containing insulating fluid to a depth to maintain parts of 'said line terminal contacts and the portions of said conductive connections engageable therewithimmersed in the insulating fluid during the normal operation of the apparatus.

'11. In combination, a receptacle adapted to contain insulating fluid and having its lower portion of smaller horizontal cross-. sectional area than its upper portion, the wall of said receptacle forming a ledge or bracket between said portions of difierent cross-sectional area, a line terminal contact and supportin means therefor disposed in operative position in the portionof said receptacle of greater cross-sectional area and supported on said bracket portion, and switch mechanism comprising relatively movable cooperative contact elements removable from said receptacle as a unit, and means operative to conductively connect said line terminal contact with one of said contact elements when said switch mechanism is in operative position in said receptacle, said cooperative relatively movable contact elements of said switch mechanism being disposed in the portion of said receptacle of reduced cross-sectional area when said switch mechanism is in operative position in said receptacle, and said receptacle beingcapable of maintaining the level of the insulating fluid therein above said bracket portion.

12. In combination, a receptacle adapted to contain insulating fluid and having its lower portion of smaller horizontal crosssectional area than its upper portion, the wall of said receptacle forming a ledge or bracket portion between said portions of different cross-sectional area, a line terminal contact having a portion thereof disposed in' the portlon of said receptacle of greater cross-sectional area and supported in position through said bracket, and switch mechanism comprising cooperative relatively movable contact elements removable from said receptacle as a unit, one of said contact elements comprising a portion engageable by the other of said contact elements and a second portion integral with said first portion and engageable with said line terminal contact when said switch mech- 

